Category: Music

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A Bit of What You Fancy – The Quireboys

At sometime in the sixth form someone saw The Quireboys support another band. That’s all the memory I have about why I would know this band. I bought this album on vinyl and I would classify it as good old fashioned British pub rock and roll. This album is well worth a listen. I like the melodies and the singing. This is definitely a summer album. I can imagine playing this in the garden with the sun glaring down and saturating the whole village in glorious shine.

I listened to this album so much in my formative years that I think all the songs are ingrained. My favourites are:

  • 7 O’clock
  • Sex Party
  • Long Time Comin’

This was a great purchase.

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Biohazard – Biohazard

You go through life aware of some bands who really influenced other bands or perhaps they were there at the beginning. Then, you hear a collaboration song by that artist and think, hey, that’ll be good.

It’s ok. I’ve listened to it twice. Probably won’t listen to it again. Not fussed by it.

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Bind, Torture, Kill – Suicide Commando

If it is screwed up dance music with a twisted feel then this is the right place to come. Part of my journey into aggrotech, this album was the first Suicide Commando album I downloaded. It’s really good. All the songs have a great beat and excellent melodies. Some might find the content and vocals a little distressing but then perhaps that is what some art is about.

Much like some comedians try to “push” the boundaries and you sometimes find yourself laughing at things you find repulsive I think it’s like that for all art. There are those who like to think they are pushing the boundaries of taste and I guess they do. If you can cause a bit of controversy and get people talking then you have done your job. Can I often see what these people are trying to do? Yes. Do I find it bothersome? Sometimes but then that’s the point isn’t it? I also recognise it for what it is, people trying to shock. I used to think that I didn’t really have limits, but it might be an age thing or it might be that I do have limits but never really recognised them before.

I saw a band recently, Sheep On Drugs, they were ok, but they were also trying to be arty. They burnt paper with words printed on it and also ripped their t-shirts off. The female member of the group had black tape over her nipples and then sprayed black paint on her torso. Did I find it interesting? Not really, more a curiosity. What was she trying to say? Was I shocked? No, not really. Having read the transcripts of the of the COUM TRANSMISSIONS [and they did it 30 years ago!] I don’t often find lightweight stuff like this shocking.

Anyway, back to the music. I like this album. It’s good. It also falls into the category of new and my poor memory doesn’t bring the songs into my head from a list of titles but when I hear them I recognise them. Perhaps that is a problem with listening to things while I run. I can’t see the artist, what the song is called or the cover work. Years ago, I would listen while thoroughly reading and taking in the album artwork. not anymore.

Hey, I like this. OK?

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Big Sexyland – Revolting Cocks

The continuance of the transformation started by such electronica bands as Throbbing Gristle. The Revolting Cocks took samples and an industrial sound a little further and produced an album of lovely political songs that challenge perceptions of music.

Personal highlights:

  • 38
  • Union Carbide
  • No Devotion

This band led into Ministry, Nine Inch Nails and todays shouty metal. It’s very good.

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Best of Trust – Trust

So, there’s a band called Anthrax who did a song called Anti-Social. Then after a few years of listening to it I found out it was a cover version by a band called Trust. This was about 1989. Did I try and find out about Trust? No. I left it another 20 years before thinking about it.

So, I saw a band called Treponem Pal and while investigating them I find out about a band called Trust who are connected to them. So, I decide, I will download the “Best of”.

It’s in French because they are a French band. That seems fair enough. Also, they are connected to early AC/DC and Iron Maiden. That’s enough for me.

“Anti-Social” is an awesome song. Anthrax made it their own but the Trust version is better. The French language makes it all the better.

“Police Milice” – great.

“Le Mitard” – with quotations from Jacques Mesrine.

Les Brutes – about oppressive regimes.

So, this is a band with a NWOBHM sound and political lyrics and themes. Brilliant. Oh, don’t forget the cover of “Ride On” by AC/DC. It’s all brilliant.

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Best of Michael Schenker – Michael Schenker

I bought this on CD as I had a gatefold album on vinyl also called the best of Michael Schenker. Michael is the brother of Rudi who is one of the guitarists in the Scorpions and Michael played with them for a while but he’s also played with UFO and MSG. I really like the sound of 70s rock and this has lots of that. The riffs are really good and the songs are well written.

My highlights are:

  • Armed and Ready
  • Are You Ready to Rock
  • Attack of the Mad Axeman

It’s all real proper disco rock and very much a summer album. There’s something about the guitar sound which is lovely. It has that under-produced sound, probably due to the equipment of those days. Much like black and white movies tell us that the world only got colour after the second world war, we only got good sound for music during the 1980s. Mind you, most of the music produced in the 80s was rubbish!

Also, Michael is a blue-eyed German blond. He’s a good poster boy for rock music.

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The Best Of The Doors – The Doors

I’m pretty sure that albums by The Doors are bought because people think they should own them rather than want to own them. I’ve got LA Woman on vinyl and this on CD. I think that, along with The Beatles, they are over-rated.

It’s something I might play every couple of years when I’m sitting in the garden and it’s sunny. It’s just not me, but I can’t bring myself to delete it. Why?

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The Best Of Great White – Great White

I bought this when I was going through my 80s rock revival. I saw them once and I really appreciate the cover to the “Hooked” album which I have as a picture disk.
I think this album is ok. I’ve not deleted it from my phone but I don’t play it a great deal. It’s too easy listening! Not a lot else to say, it’s alright.

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The Best Of Diamond Head – Diamond Head

Diamond Head are one of the bands that influenced Metallica and that is how I became aware of them. I’m slightly too young for NWOBHM to have affected me directly but its sound is one that I find base. It affects me greatly and hits my emotions in all the right spots.
“Am I Evil” recorded by Metallica was on a tape I had and eventually I found out it was written and first recorded by Diamond Head. When I bought this I wanted the original versions of “Evil”, “Helpless” and “It’s Electric” which Megadeth used to play live. This album is great. I find all the songs enjoyable. Bizarrely this is another album that I consider easy enough listening to play to non-metal fans. Along with Audioslave this is, for me, easy listening.
I saw Diamond Head play with The Almighty, Megadeth and Metallica at the Milton Keynes bowl in 1992. It was a great concert for it was the first time Megadeth and Metallica had played on the same bill since Dave left Metallica. Diamond Head opened the concert and lots of the crowd obviously weren’t aware that “Evil” is not a Metallica original. Many of them rushed foward shouting Metallica. Idiots.

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